Michael Limnios Blues Network's Blog (2,384)

"But the fact is that musicians have always been at the front of social and political issues. Because of the nature of our creativity we are sensitive to racial and social issues, and I believe it is up to us to speak out for what we believe: for me it is Equality, Respect, and Social Justice."

"I miss hearing music on the radio that was performed 100% by humans. I personally get excited by new music that makes you question if it was recorded in the 60’s or 70’s. There is a warmth, an ease, a human approach to that sound."

Moonshine Society: Sweet Thing

Locally in Washington, DC, the band of Moonshine Society gives a big nod to Aesop’s…

"The Memphis sound continues to generate fans today because it is authentic. It is original. It is a combination of blues, folk and gospel and comes from the tribulations of African Americans through the years. People feel the real deal when they hear it."

"Blues doesn’t have many boundaries. There are common forms but also other ways to express the sound and feeling. The irony is that most blue music make people happy when they hear it. The music is always evolving but the roots of the sound are simplicity and emotion."

"The blues is in fact a state of mind. Otherwise you just play music."

Al Cook: Nothing But The Blues Roots

Al Cook (born Alois Koch) grew up in Vienna, Austria. The visit of the Elvis movie Gold from a hot throat at the age of fifteen awoke in him the desire to make music. He started teaching himself guitar, piano and singing. After first…

Archivist, Poet and Photographer, Tate Swindell is the founder of Unrequited Records, which specializes in poetry records released on the vinyl format. The latest release was an album of rare Gregory Corso readings from the late 1970s that included previously…

"Jazz is a black artist music. There are monumental messages in the history of the music. The artists behind these sounds stand tall over the history of the world. Jazz always has reaction and perspective on the days events. Jazz is always going to be an important part of the changing world we live in."

"Music was shown to have power. It could speak to the world more clearly and more honestly than most politicians. It showed us, from the early days of the 60s blues boom to the Live Aid event, that people could come together to effect change, to enjoy love and peace, to communicate all over the world."

"I think it’s an indispensable part of our lives. We couldn’t be here, if it wasn’t for all of the music that came out of the south, the music that came into this country through Louisiana to the North Coast. That’s where the blues music came in."

"I can say this without prejudice that Blues music is essential to ones life. Weather they like it or not, weather a person actively listens or not, in some way it will influence them or impact them. We can say Blues music is a Black music born out of White oppression. One would not exist without the other."

"Music is very powerful and can make people forget their differences and shake their booty together."

Sparky Parker: Blues n' Rock In The Dark

Eric “Sparky” Parker wears his Texas blues-rock guitarslinger credentials on his sleeve, possessing the grit, drive and talent needed to stand tall in the eternally-competitive Texas music scene. His guitar…

"I've never really noticed much of a difference between men and women in the music biz although I had to deal with what we us Brits call 'tossers and wankers' along the way, but that's just part of growing up and you learn just by dealing with this."

"I want my music to affect people emotionally in a deep way, and to make them think as well. I also like to make people appreciate the full potential of the diatonic harmonica, and hopefully play well enough to be asked to come back."

"Whether it is a smaller personal or inter-personal issue, or a large world-wide problem, music is another way to spread the message of hope and perseverance. It lets us know that we are not alone in how we feel, however it is we may feel, and gives us an outlet and platform to discuss issues and solutions."

Ged Wilson describes his act as blues for the 21st Century. Raised along the Irwell Delta in Manchester and now relocated in Cheltenham, Ged is a veteran of the British Blues boom of the 60's. He cuts his original tunes from the world around him…

"Socio-cultural really incudes both the racial and the political, as well as the personal and broader cultural environment. In that context, I think the blues, with its message of triumph over adversity, has universal appeal that can speak to and voice the hopes and dreams, the losses and struggles, the love, the success that comes from not giving up, of anyone who will listen and submit to the power of the blues."…

"Probably a bit of both, there a certain thing you can play or sing to make it sit within the blues 'genre' but without the 'state of mind' it's probably not going to translate to the listener with any authenticity. Same with any Soul music. The most important thing is to make the listener believe what you're singing."